This is the best movie adaptation I could have asked for as someone who loved the manga.

This story perfectly captures what it feels like to first fall in love with all its highs and lows. The beginning premise can easily be summarized as "country girl moves to the big city and falls in love with her teacher". However, that's just the beginning. The story is about this teenage girl learning what love is. The movie is about her journey in falling in love, not specifically a love story about how a pairing gets together.

I read the manga about a year ago, so my memory of the details is a bit blurry. As far as I remember, this adaptation does a great job of retelling the original story in the form of a movie. Although some scenes and subplots had to be removed due to the runtime of the film, it really does well in capturing the essence of the story.

The casting for the film was spectacular! Each of the actors brought life to the original characters, making it feel as though they were always meant to play them. Especially Nagano Mei who played the main character Yosano Suzume. From her appearance to her acting, she was perfect for the role. Suzume is a very quirky and selfless character. She could have very easily come off as awkward or as an airhead if done poorly, but that's not the case here. She felt real and genuine, as if she jumped right out of the manga and came to life.

If you've read the manga, then consider this a live-action summary of Suzume's story.

If you haven't read the manga, consider this a cute coming-of-age story. And if you enjoyed the movie, I highly recommend reading the manga for a more fleshed out version of the story.